Bondholder Smith of Derby is gearing up to train the next generation of clock-makers in Derby.

Smith of Derby has set up the centre to train its apprentices and continue the traditions of the family-owned business. The facility features a full-scale turret clock with both traditional and technologically advanced operating equipment, creating a unique environment for skills development.

Young people have the enthusiasm and the energy to learn and are the future of the company. It is a process we have always believed in and stood by through the generations of our 160 years’ history.

— Tony Charlesworth

Tony Charlesworth, Smith of Derby's technical sales manager with responsibility for overseeing training, said: "With the exception of the British Horological Institute, there's no course or qualification in the art of clock making, and we feel it is vitally important to keep traditional clock making alive for centuries to come.

"Being able to train our apprentices within a simulated clock room is new, exciting and has huge potential."